Glock 23 Ammo

[SaintVegas]

So yesterday I finally purchased a Glock. Yay!! It is a Glock 23, and I have a question for all of you. Do any of you have a Glock 23? And, if so, what type of ammo do you recommend for personal defense? What type of ammo should I avoid? I appreciate your comments.

[ALBOB2]

Conventional wisdom says you should use whatever ammunition your local police use. They not only have to protect themselves from predatory criminals, they also have to protect themselves from predatory lawyers after they shoot said criminal. If you're unfortunate enough to ever be involved in a self defense situation, you'll most definitely have to face those same lawyers.

I have a very dear friend that's LV Metro and they use Federal Self-Defense ammo. It's marked as such, right on the box. The best places I've found to get it are Bass Pro Shops down on Blue Diamond, Discount Firearms on Highland and Spurlock's in Henderson. (Sorry, they recently moved and I'm not 100% sure of their new address.)

You can sometimes save a buck or two per box by buying it at a gunshow. The next one is going to be October 17th and 18th at Cashman Center.

[SaintVegas]

Conventional wisdom says you should use whatever ammunition your local police use. They not only have to protect themselves from predatory criminals, they also have to protect themselves from predatory lawyers after they shoot said criminal. If you're unfortunate enough to ever be involved in a self defense situation, you'll most definitely have to face those same lawyers.

I have a very dear friend that's LV Metro and they use Federal Self-Defense ammo. It's marked as such, right on the box. The best places I've found to get it are Bass Pro Shops down on Blue Diamond, Discount Firearms on Highland and Spurlock's in Henderson. (Sorry, they recently moved and I'm not 100% sure of their new address.)

You can sometimes save a buck or two per box by buying it at a gunshow. The next one is going to be October 17th and 18th at Cashman Center.

Thanks for the advice! When I bought my gun at American Shooters, they recommended Speer Gold Dot ammo as the best. It says Law Enforcement on the box, but we all know anyone can say anything. I have never been to Discount Firearms, but it isn't far from where I work. Closer than the others anyway. I will check it out. Thanks!

[MrShotShot]

I've bought some of the off-price bulk stuff from places like Sportsmans Supply and it's OK to plink with, but I wouldn't rely on it when my focus is possible self defense.

Going with any of the major brands and keeping with what the police are using is good advice.

The last thing you want is some DA trying to make a name for him/herself and questioning why you were using Kill-em-All and Let God Sort Them Out Soldier of Fortune Death-Shock 3000 Multi-Wound Chamber Fragmenting Cartlidge Smashers in your Glock.

[ALBOB2]

Kill-em-All and Let God Sort Them Out Soldier of Fortune Death-Shock 3000 Multi-Wound Chamber Fragmenting Cartlidge Smashers

I've got a case of that stuff on backorder. It's in .88 Magnum. :twisted:

[MrShotShot]

I've got a case of that stuff on backorder. It's in .88 Magnum. :twisted:

I hear it makes pretty holes in paper.

[SaintVegas]

Kill-em-All and Let God Sort Them Out Soldier of Fortune Death-Shock 3000 Multi-Wound Chamber Fragmenting Cartlidge Smashers in your Glock.

Oooooooooooooh, where can I buy those? :razz: LOL

[VCaddy05]

any ammo in a glock should be fine, just remember if you buy cheap there is a reason for that! Clean, clean, clean after your at the range, that is the best way to have reliable ammo. IMO

[Samm]

Conventional wisdom says you should use whatever ammunition your local police use. They not only have to protect themselves from predatory criminals, they also have to protect themselves from predatory lawyers after they shoot said criminal. If you're unfortunate enough to ever be involved in a self defense situation, you'll most definitely have to face those same lawyers.

Yep... besides, if you have to shoot somebody and choose not to tell anyone it will look like the cops did it. :shifty:

[Samm]

any ammo in a glock should be fine, just remember if you buy cheap there is a reason for that! Clean, clean, clean after your at the range, that is the best way to have reliable ammo. IMO

One of the strengths of a Glock is that it will cycle with virtually any ammo that will fit in the magazine. Buying cheap ammo is an excellent idea... for becoming familiar with the gun and practicing. Maybe shoot a few high quality personal defense bullets just to see what they shoot like, but I wouldn't waste my money on them except to have them at the ready and in the gun when it is being used for that purpose. Under normal circumstances, a box of 25 should last for many years.

[ThrowCop]

I had a Glock 21 and used the cheapest Federal ammo to break it in & get used to firing it.

I think it would fire a shell filled with baloney & saltpeter...

[Samm]

I had a Glock 21 and used the cheapest Federal ammo to break it in & get used to firing it.

I think it would fire a shell filled with baloney & saltpeter...

... and deer pellets as bullets. ;)

The only ammo that causes Glocks problems are "too hot" hand loads. I know of two (both 21s) that exploded down the magazine well from using hot loads that worked fine (well, worked) in other guns.

[Gunslinger]

For carry and home defense, I suggest the Winchester Ranger JHP rounds.

That's what I carry on duty and it's loaded in all of my handguns, all calibers.

[ThrowCop]

... and deer pellets as bullets. ;)

The only ammo that causes Glocks problems are "too hot" hand loads. I know of two (both 21s) that exploded down the magazine well from using hot loads that worked fine (well, worked) in other guns.I had a Browning Hi-Power that was like a Mercedes - demanding premium unleaded. Even a dozen rounds of practice ammo meant spending most of my time clearing jams & later cleaning the thing. It was beautiful, but the Glock was the one at my bedside.

[Samm]

I had a Browning Hi-Power that was like a Mercedes - demanding premium unleaded. Even a dozen rounds of practice ammo meant spending most of my time clearing jams & later cleaning the thing. It was beautiful, but the Glock was the one at my bedside.

I don't have a Glock (or a Browning, except for a Buckmark) but I have several 9 mm through .45 ACP semi-autos made by Beretta, Sig, Colt, Springfield and Magnum Research and the only one that ever gave me a problem with cheap ammo was my Springfield 1911 mil spec. For some reason it just did not like Federal Eagle ammo for the first 1000 rnds or so.

As I said, Glock has a reputation for operating reliably with any commercial ammo. However, maybe it is just personal preference more than anything I can actually put a finger on, but I still recommend a Sig over a Glock or, if you like "plastic" guns, a Springfield XD or XDM.

[TinCan]

I don't have a Glock (or a Browning, except for a Buckmark) but I have several 9 mm through .45 ACP semi-autos made by Beretta, Sig, Colt, Springfield and Magnum Research and the only one that ever gave me a problem with cheap ammo was my Springfield 1911 mil spec. For some reason it just did not like Federal Eagle ammo for the first 1000 rnds or so.

As I said, Glock has a reputation for operating reliably with any commercial ammo. However, maybe it is just personal preference more than anything I can actually put a finger on, but I still recommend a Sig over a Glock or, if you like "plastic" guns, a Springfield XD or XDM.

I like the XD40 because the grip safety is similar/familiar to my 1911.

[Samm]

I like the XD40 because the grip safety is similar/familiar to my 1911.

Yeah... the M has both a grip safety and a trigger safety. I don't care for the trigger safety... in fact, I don't quite get the point of it.

[SaintVegas]

The folks at the gun store recommended the Speer 165 grain gold dot for the Glock 23. Thoughts?

[MrShotShot]

The folks at the gun store recommended the Speer 165 grain gold dot for the Glock 23. Thoughts?

Keep in mind that everyone is going to have their preferred ammo.

At the end of the day, what really matters is how much you practice and your comfort level with your firearm. I'd rather be able to hit a guy center mass with the cheapest ammo out there than miss him with the most expensive.

[Pawel]

So yesterday I finally purchased a Glock. Yay!! It is a Glock 23, and I have a question for all of you. Do any of you have a Glock 23? And, if so, what type of ammo do you recommend for personal defense? What type of ammo should I avoid? I appreciate your comments.

Nothing wrong with a standard full metal jacketed 115 grain 9mm cartridge, which will work good in any 9mm handgun. I use 6.5 grains of HS-6 behind the 115 grain jacketed bullets. The HS-6 powder fills the case so you can't accidently overload that extremely hi pressure round. Your hollow point will expand and not go thru your target, and kill it deader that the deadly standard round.

I hope that you have some experience in handguns or guns, period, via hunting, military, target shooting, etc. If not, take a safety course. If you have kids, lock it up - good practice anyway. The Glock is said to be a great handgun, but it is not for me. As you already know, the Glock has no external safety. Apparently there is a mechanical block on the firing pin until the trigger is fully pulled, so I guess it is as safe as my single action Rugers.

[Samm]

Nothing wrong with a standard full metal jacketed 115 grain 9mm cartridge, which will work good in any 9mm handgun. I use 6.5 grains of HS-6 behind the 115 grain jacketed bullets. The HS-6 powder fills the case so you can't accidently overload that extremely hi pressure round. Your hollow point will expand and not go thru your target, and kill it deader that the deadly standard round.

I hope that you have some experience in handguns or guns, period, via hunting, military, target shooting, etc. If not, take a safety course. If you have kids, lock it up - good practice anyway. The Glock is said to be a great handgun, but it is not for me. As you already know, the Glock has no external safety. Apparently there is a mechanical block on the firing pin until the trigger is fully pulled, so I guess it is as safe as my single action Rugers.

There sure would be in a Glock 23... it shoots .40 S&W. ;)

[Pawel]

There sure would be in a Glock 23... it shoots .40 S&W. ;)

Sorry, don't know what a Glock 23 is. I thought he was asking about a Glock 9mm. Does this Glock 23 have a thumb safety/decocker?

[Samm]

Sorry, don't know what a Glock 23 is. I thought he was asking about a Glock 9mm. Does this Glock 23 have a thumb safety/decocker?

Google is your friend... ;)


I don't think Glocks have thumb safetys or decockers, but then I don't own one.

[ConstitutionHugger]

So yesterday I finally purchased a Glock. Yay!! It is a Glock 23, and I have a question for all of you. Do any of you have a Glock 23? And, if so, what type of ammo do you recommend for personal defense? What type of ammo should I avoid? I appreciate your comments.

For Personal defense any quality hollowpoint. +P loads would be preferable since they pack a little more punch or even "+P+ Law Enforcement Only" loads since Glocks are used Widely by Law Enforcement Officers. Any handloads that are loaded to within the paremeters in a loading manual would work as well, Just make for dang sure that you don't have any dud or squib loads if you are using them for personal defense.
Also NEVER USE LEAD AMMO IN A GLOCK or any other weapon that has polygonal rifling such as a Desert Eagle.
For Practice and Plinking FMJ rounds that are the same weight and velocity as Hollowpoints will let you stay in practice without breaking the bank, Just make sure that you have shot enough of your personal defense loads to make sure that the gun likes them
Personally I don't like Glocks, but they are solid and reliable guns

[ConstitutionHugger]

From What I hear a Glock will handle anything a Ruger P95 will handle since it is also a "duty gun"
I know my Ruger will handle Very hot hand loads (prefers them actually) which are 9mm but appear to hit the steel targets with same force as my 45ACP loaded with 230gr bullets.

Your Glock should handle any load (within reason) that will chamber without a hiccup.
The only problems that i have heard of where the gun was actually damaged was cracked frames on the older early model polymer framed pistols that were used with a suppressor and a recoil booster. Even then problems were rare